Legacy Giving

Established in 1978, St. Mary’s Foundation Fund is a long-term endowment fund whose purpose is:

“to provide for the long-term security of St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, the Foundation Fund grows the principal and directs the earnings to provide extraordinary support to enrich, grow and relieve programs and ministries within St. Mary’s and in the broader community.”

The fund is invested, by commonly accepted principles, in both fixed income and equity securities. Anyone can contribute to the foundation through extraordinary charitable giving, including bequests and legacies, as well as lifetime gifts and memorial contributions. A committee, called the Foundation Fund Board, oversees the investment of all assets.

The St Mary’s Foundation funds often support:

• Non-profit organizations:  Orthodox & Non-Orthodox* ex. Hellenic College, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (*Red Cross, Ex.)
• Growth & enrichment:   Internal Ministries
• New project/program seed funding:   Support beyond the general operating budget devoted to strengthening the mission of the parish.
• Parishioner care:    Short-term financial relief for St Mary’s members in good standing and experiencing extraordinary medical, financial or other hardships**. (**Applications will remain anonymous.  Submit directly to the head Priest/Proistamenos or Parish Council President.)
• Disaster Relief:  St Mary’s GOC’s property,  Community Relief, International Relief

Contribute to the St. Mary’s Foundation Fund via:

• Estate planning: Arrange and manage your assets to include the Foundation as part of your distribution.
• Bequesting: Include the Foundation as a specific provision in your will or living trust.
• Memorial contributions: Honor your loved one with a memorial donation to the Foundation to help others in need.
• Gifting: Voluntarily contribute to the Foundation.
• Endowments: Donate an asset(s) to the Foundation for the perpetual benefit of it as a non-profit institution.
• Tax deduction: Donating to the Foundation can be tax-deductible if the requirements are met.